Cellular communications systems may provide interconnect and/or dispatch voice communication services and/or data communication services. Interconnect voice communication services are those typically provided by most cellular carriers as circuit-switched communications. Dispatch communication services are commonly known as a “walkie-talkie” type of call, such as provided by Nextel Communications, Inc. and identified by the trade names Push-To-Talk (PTT) or Direct Connect. The popularity of dispatch calls, and thus the popularity of hybrid networks that can support communications in multiple formats, is ever expanding and this increase in popularity has created a demand for more features to be associated with these types of calls and networks.
Currently, it is desired that presence information regarding communications networks and individual subscribers to the networks be available for providing such information to another party/communications device that may desire this information. Examples of presence information are whether or not the subscribers are registered in the network, involved in a dispatch call, involved in a packet data session, and/or involved in a interconnect call. As the subscriber base of the telecommunications network increases and as more and more features and communications formats are available to the subscribers of the network, the provision of presence information related to the subscribers, and the various formats that may be utilized by the subscribers for various communications, becomes increasingly complex.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved method and system for providing presence information related to a communications network that provides a variety of communications formats and services.